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Marguerite Holmes, a cherished mother, daughter, sister, aunt, great-aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, cousin, friend, and dedicated advocate, peacefully passed away in June 2025 at the age of 95. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Herbert "Bear" Holmes, her daughters Diane and Cynthia Holmes, her brother John M. Short, and her niece Susan Palmer. Born Marguerite Innes Short, affectionately known as "Muggins," in New Jersey, she was the daughter of John O. and Harriet R. Short. Marguerite spent much of her childhood in the Point Beach area of Milford, CT, where she attended Woodmont Elementary and Milford High School. She pursued higher education at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and later earned her bachelor's degree from the State University of New York and a master's in special education from the University of Illinois. While both were students at UConn, Marguerite met the love of her life, Herb Holmes, at a New Year's Eve party in Milford. They married in 1951 and raised three children: Peter, Cynthia, and Diane. Herb's career in the Air Force led them to travel extensively over 30 years, residing in various locations, including Puerto Rico, the Philippines, New York, California, Texas, Illinois, Alabama, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Florida, before finally settling in San Antonio, Texas for retirement. Marguerite's passion for teaching special education was a driving force in her life. Coupled with her daughter Diane's struggles to find support for mental illness, it fueled her commitment to advocating for disability and mental health rights. In her "retirement," she was the founding president of the San Antonio Alliance for the Mentally Ill (now known as the Great San Antonio National Alliance on Mental Illness) and significantly contributed to the state chapter, Texas Alliance on Mental Illness. Also a passionate genealogist and family historian, her research led her to archives, libraries, and burial grounds all across the United States, Scotland, and England. This research ultimately led to tracing her family’s ancestry all the way back to 1639. She is survived by her son, Dr. Peter Holmes, her daughter-in-law, Susan Holmes, her nieces Nancy Ross, Leslie Skibitsky, and Judy Pryor, her granddaughter Dr. Pamela Holmes and her husband Scott Herrick, her granddaughter Amanda Holmes-Davidian and her wife Kelly Kell, her grandson Daniel Holmes and his wife Andrea Holmes, and her great-grandchildren Melody, Clara, Forrest, James, and Samantha, along with numerous other loving family members. In her own words, Marguerite reflected on her life, stating, "She had a great life and thanks all who made it such a pleasant journey." For those who wish to donate in her memory, the Greater San Antonio National Alliance on Mental Illness still exists today. Donate Now - NAMI Greater San Antonio https://nami-sat.org/get-involved/donate/

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Marguerite Holmes

May 11, 1930 - June 2, 2025